This paper formulates a simple mathematical framework for the selection of an optimum "relative unanimity” collective decision rule. The approach is first to identify the benefits of moving from a rule of simple majority towards a rule of full unanimity. Then, the costs of moving from simple...

The issue of environmental sustainability is a controversial and extremely diverse multi-faceted topic that ranges from questions as to how to ensure that adequate investment in energy R&D and infrastructure will be undertaken, to state level renewable portfolio standards, to the impact of...

Using panel data for OECD nations for the period 2003-2009, the fixed-effects estimations in this study all provide strong support for the three central hypotheses considered here, namely: (1) the standard of living in a nation, measured in this study as the level of purchasing-power-parity...

This study empirically investigates whether, in a democratic system, taxrelated public policies influence the public’s approval of their principal political leader. To begin this investigation, the case of the U.S. and the U.S. President is considered. In this context, it is hypothesized that...

This study visits the role of shareholder proposals in the governance of public corporations by studying withdrawn shareholder proposals. Among all shareholders, unions are the most likely to withdraw proposals. Furthermore, firms with a record of poor performance, lower insider ownership and...

This study empirically investigates three hypotheses. The first is that higher levels of economic freedom in an economy promote a higher growth rate of economic activity and hence yield a higher growth rate of per capita real GDP in that economy. The second hypothesis is that higher quality...

This note empirically investigates the impact of various factors on income tax evasion in the U.S. over the 1973-1997 period. The estimate indicates that income tax evasion is an increasing function of the average effective federal personal income tax rate and the public's dissatisfaction with...

This study empirically estimates the determinants of aggregate voter participation rates between 1960 and 1996 using instrumental variables. Other things equal, an increase in the public’s dissatisfaction with politicians decreases voter participation, an increase in the highest marginal tax...

This empirical note reformulates a model for testing the hypothesis that migration of the poor and welfare levels are bi-directionally related. After correcting for co-linearity in a previous model, the new model yields two-stage least squares estimates that affirm the hypothesis once again.

This study addresses a question that has not been researched much previously, namely, does the unavailability of health insurance act as an incentive for persons to enlist in the military in the U.S.? This relationship is proffered as the “Military Health Care Magnet Hypothesis.” The present...